Former Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury has been detained

The Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police has detained former Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury from her residence in Dhanmondi early today.

According to sources, she was taken into DB custody around 4:30am on Tuesday from her home on Road 8/A in the capital.

The DB has not yet issued any official statement regarding the case or the reasons behind her detention.

Dr Chaudhury was first elected Speaker on 30 April 2013 and had served continuously in that role. Following the 7 January general election—boycotted by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party—in which the Awami League formed the government, she was re-elected as Speaker.

She was elected as a Member of Parliament from the Rangpur-6 constituency, but later resigned from her position following the fall of the government led by Sheikh Hasina.